S.W. Basics

Rootology

We connect brands with people.

And the best way to do that is to collaborate closely with clients to develop stellar ideas that drive success. We make it our business to listen to each client and understand their unique challenges at the start of every engagement. That way we not only develop the right creative solutions, but also utilize the right channels in the right way to reach the right consumers.

Today’s marketplace is constantly evolving,

and we couldn't bemore excited about it.

Our team of designers, developers, copywriters, UX experts, project managers and creative strategists are uniquely equipped with a diverse set of capabilities so that we can identify and seize new opportunities for brand awareness and inspire consumer engagement.

Brand PositioningVisual Identities

We help launch new brands and reposition established brands to reach new markets. From logos and identities to messaging and executions across collateral and packaging; we create a compelling visual story and well-defined voice for each brand, built to engage consumers across all touchpoints.

Websites, AppsEcommerce

Our team is grounded by a solid foundation of technology experts who live and breathe their craft, and our creative team collaborates with our clients, brand strategists, and content experts to create immersive, engaging digital experiences. Our holistic approach means we don’t just make websites, we enhance brand voice, drive conversion and build lasting consumer relationships.

We make brand platforms, e-commerce, content and community sites, as well as mobile, tablet and web applications, built on some of the most popular Content Management Platforms (CMS) including, Word Press, Dot Net Nuke, Umbracco, Shopify and Magento. User experience is at the forefront of our process and we integrate best practices like responsive and lightweight design to ensure a fluid experience across a range of devices and browsers.

Create Execute

SMAKK Studios uses our creative expertise to solve our clients’ biggest business and marketing challenges; and execute across a range of project deliverables including design and content for digital and print, packaging, advertising, social media and content strategy.

Our clients love the results we achieve, which is why many retain us for ongoing collaborative engagements. As partners, we constantly evaluate tools, trends and opportunities to support our clients’ longterm success and can create solutions that not only meet immediate needs, but fit in to a larger, holistic brand and marketing strategy.

SMAKK provides a unique and enviable skill set – one that blends user-centric design expertise with strategic acumen while remaining mindful of corporate top line objectives. I am very fortunate to have worked with them, and was inspired by their energy, attitude, ideas, abilities and communication.

Brandie Young

TBD Marketing

“

SMAKK Studios had a vision for our brand that was beyond what we could have imagined. Within one meeting they were able to articulate exactly what we were thinking, in both the design and usability.

Adina Griogore

Founder, SW Basics

“

When we were shopping for agencies, one of the criteria was that our selected agency act as our ‘outsourced marketing department’. That's exactly what SMAKK have been for us. We share our strategy and ideas, and SMAKK takes over from there... That sort of thinking and initiative is part of what makes SMAKK invaluable to us.

Todd Segmond

CEO, EMEX Power

“

I think that the SMAKK team did a wonderful job in synthesizing the disparate elements of our teams design and functional requirements for the new website and packaging. The SMAKK team created something that we were all proud of and that looks amazing. We absolutely love working with SMAKK Studios!

Forbes Fisher

CEO, Steve’s Ice Cream

“

Working with SM&KK Studios has been been wonderful! The team has made redesigning our website easy and fun and they are organized and prompt with deliverables. The schedule that they've created has kept us on track throughout the process and their file sharing system is efficient and user friendly. It is obvious from our experience that the team is knowledgeable, technically savvy, and extremely accommodating to our wants and needs.

Cayla Ferari, Co-Founder

Line Posters, Inc.

“

I’ve really been impressed by the passion SM&KK has shown working on my site. They don’t feel like hired hands – they feel more like team members and stake-holders who have a lot to gain by getting it right. And they’re experienced and confident enough to propose game-changing new strategies and design approaches. This is something I really appreciate.

MEET
OUR TEAM

We’ve worked incredibly hard to build a small, curated group of passionate doers who
come to work excited, curious and ready to meet new challenges every day.
While our team’s diverse experience means each individual brings a unique skill set
to the table, the common thread between all of the designers, strategists, and
technology experts we’ve brought together is their uncommon dedication to their craft.

Katie Klencheski

Principal / Creative Director

With a decade of experience in branding, digital strategy, and design, Katie oversees the creative team at SMAKK Studios. She has worked with international brands like Sony, the Trump Organization, Cartier, and American Express and now leverages this past experience with top-tier and Fortune 500 companies to create brand and web strategy for emerging brands. She is an alumna of Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and previously worked with large and small scale communications and creative agencies alike including: Gotham, Ogilvy, Ketchum, and AgencySacks.

Maria Bonello

Project Manager

Maria is notorious at SMAKK Studios for having to-do lists for her to-do lists. With a background in English and Digital Communications, Maria comes to us with PR and Marketing experience from companies like Viacom and NETS Basketball. As a Project Manager for SMAKK Studios, she knows exactly how to put pieces of the puzzle together, acting as the liaison both internally and externally to ensure that all tasks and projects are completed on time.

Allin Resposo

Developer

Allin is a graduate of MIT and a product design engineer turned web developer. His past experience has given him exposure to mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering. This cross-disciplinary engineering experience means he brings a unique perspective to each project and a consideration for user experience honed in both the physical and digital realms, something rare in developers. If you ask Allin about his past experience, he’ll be quick to tell you that he made his first project for the web when he was 12: a thrilling, high-octane flash animation detailing what he wanted for Christmas. He’s been fine-tuning his skills since then and loves finding solutions to new challenges that give him the opportunity to change perspectives and come up with cutting-edge idea.

Miss Moneypenny

Chief Canine Officer

Penny, our favorite Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, is the Chief Canine Officer and official day brightener. Hailing from a small farm in Georgia, Penny is just a small town girl trying to make it in the Big Apple. While only 4 months old, she's already risen to a C-level position at SMAKK. Her responsibilities include greeting visitors, administering tail wags and giving puppy kisses to team members burning the midnight oil to meet deadlines.

Henry Spethmann

UX Designer

Henry is our resident User Experience Designer. His products draw on the psychology of our every day experiences as they intersect with our technological needs. Although Henry's wireframes are in black and white, he is able to bring them to life by fusing multidimensional ideas with clean, uncomplicated design. He previously worked on digital strategy with brands like Shell, Siemens, and Mastercard and graduated from the University of Virginia with degrees in Architecture and Urban Planning.

Chia Lynn Kwa

Designer

Chia Lynn grew up in Singapore and Vietnam before moving to New York City as a student of design. Her nomadic background inspires the unique creative solutions for the illustration, user interface design, and branding projects she executes at SMAKK Studios. Chia Lynn graduated with honors from the Communications Design program at the Pratt Institute in 2013. Her knack for taking the everyday and transforming it into the extraordinary makes working with Chia Lynn the design equivalent of a really awesome dance party.

Gabriella Searles

Designer

Gabi graduated summa cum laude from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a degree in Graphic Design. Gabi's a rockstar designer who brings versatility, creativity and passion to every project she works on from packaging and visual identities to web design. She's worked with brands like Max Brenner and Kleinfeld's Bridal and has gone viral on Tumblr. Gabi is constantly raising the bar, delivering beautiful, brand-appropriate designs that both are modern and timeless.

Ben Poulin

Senior Designer

Ben is our Senior Designer recently relocated from Boston to Brooklyn. He graduated from the Art Institute of California - San Diego with a BA in Advertising and Design. Before joining us, Ben worked with an impressive lineup of consumer brands including Target, Reebok, Adidas, Timberland, Philips Van Heusen, Lycra and IZOD as well as a number of start-ups and nonprofits.

Nate Tate

Art Director

Nate is a seasoned art director with expertise in branding and digital strategy. He’s worked on a wide range of brands, from innovative web platforms like Gilt Group and Foursquare to established international brands like Toyota and Godiva. After studying business at Baylor University in Texas, he moved to NYC and received his BFA in design from the School of Visual Arts. Then he uprooted to Beijing, China where he worked at an international advertising agency, and wrote a travel/food adventure book about his time in China called Feeding the Dragon. Now that Nate’s here in Brooklyn, we’re thrilled to have him share his diverse design expertise and wild travel tales.

With a decade of experience in branding, digital strategy, and design, Katie oversees the creative team at SMAKK Studios. She has worked with international brands like Sony, the Trump Organization, Cartier, and American Express and now leverages this past experience with top-tier and Fortune 500 companies to create brand and web strategy for emerging brands. She is an alumna of Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and previously worked with large and small scale communications and creative agencies alike including: Gotham, Ogilvy, Ketchum, and AgencySacks.

We are MADE IN NY.

SMAKK Studios is based out of our studio in Brooklyn, NY and all of our pixels are locally-grown and fair trade. We never outsource projects: all our work is created by our team of seasoned professionals right here in the USA.

The ‘Made in NY’ logo is a trademark of the City of New York and is used with the City’s permission.

THE LATEST

SMAKK TALKS

Last Saturday night we kicked off our new series of “SMAKK Talks” with a dinner party we hosted in conjunction with The Feast Worldwide Conference. The theme of the conference and dinner this year was “progression” and no where is that more evident than right around our office... read more